We recently had the chance to connect with SUVIR DHAR and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning SUVIR, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
Radical self-acceptance. Through a lot of diverse experiences, childhood adveristy, and some great teachers, I’m learning that if I want to fullfil my potential, I need to practice radical self-acceptance: accepting the things that I’m good at and being able to ask for help and/or learn new skills that need improvement
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m the managing partner at Gianaris Trial Lawyers, a law firm that represents everyday men and women who have been diagnosed with a terminal disease and/or cancer as a result of occupation, residential, or other exposure(s) to toxins and carcinogens. If you seen the movie, Erin Brokovich, that’s what we do.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
The universe has made it clear that my role is to be someone who leverages my experiences and the law to fight with and for underdogs: those who have been wronged by corporate greed and bad behavior and those living in underserved communities.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
I grew up with incredibly abusive and violent parents which manifested in various types of negative behavior, much of which was not visibly apparent to the outside world including family and friends. My childhood experiences caused significant internal turmoil which I kept hidden for most of my life out of fear of looking weak and/or not being strong enough. More recently though, and along with the support of my family, therapy, plant medicines, and a group of trusted teachers has been healing and life-changing. I owe them all a lot.
The Universe has also taught me that part of my healing must include giving back and helping those who may find themselves in situations where I previously found myself. There are several people who helped me throughout my life even though they had no formal obligation to me. These people taught me, supported me, provided opportunities, and even rescued me, in many ways. I feel an intense responsibility to not only pay it forward but also pay it back.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What truths are so foundational in your life that you rarely articulate them?
That the answers we are searching for are in nature and right in front of us. I fundamentally believe nature is our greatest teacher and the living world provides numerous teaching lessons for us if we’re willing to listen. As Einstein said, “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”
A small example: there is so much well-intentioned emphasis on the “best” way to raise children, etc. This multi-billion-dollar industry is full of books, podcasts, tools, therapy sessions, etc. all aimed at helping parents raise children. We constantly focus on what our children need to become “successful” or “happy.” I know I’ve fallen into these traps myself through the years and occasionally still do so. Yet maybe nature has been telling us that we’re missing the point. The mammals within the animal world may provide some answers as they are simply focused on providing their offspring/children love, support, and the skills to become independent creatures, able to live (and survive) independently. They’re not focused on raising “happy” offspring which doesn’t mean that their offspring don’t play and are happy. Maybe we should be listening and avoid the new fads by simply focusing on the basics: love, support, and helping develop the skills to live their own lives, become self-sufficient and “independent,” at the appropriate time. Kangaroos don’t worry about getting their joeys out of bed and on the school bus or to soccer practice on time, so this obviously isn’t a 1-to-1 comparison and meant with a bit of humor. But the overall point is that the natural world has answers to a lot of our questions.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
I would stop doing anything and everything that wasn’t supportive of the relationships and people I care about. I wish I could say that I would stop working and travel the world with my family & friends, but that would not be in the best interest and harmful to a lot of people that I care about.
Contact Info:
- Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/suvir-dhar
